Corn-header



W. F. HAMILTON.

CORN HEADER.

APPLICATION man ocr.1, 1919.

1,334,933. Patented Mar. 23, 1920.

@@SQQBSQGDQGGOQOOO UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEioE.

WILLIAM FRANCIS HAMILTON, OF VENTURA, CALIFORNIA.

conn-HEADER specificati@ of Letters Patent. Patented Mar. 23, 1920.

Appiianon feed october 1, 1919"..` serial No. 327,780.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM FRANCIS HAMILTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ventura, in the county of Vea tura and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Corn- IIeaders, of which the following is` a specilication.

This invention relates to a device for cutting off the heads of corn and like plants, and pertains particularly to cutting means in combination with means for bringing the stalks to the former in position to be severed adjacent the head. If the heads are severed with a portion of the green stalk and the severed heads placed in piles, the corn will heat and spoil.

My invention is particularly applicable to heading Kalir corn. This cereal grows with the heads at varying heights, and the heads ripen while the stalks are still green. Some of the heads due to their weight, hang over from the stalk in inverted position. It is necessary in cutting the same by machine to bring the heads to approximately the same level, hereafter Called equalizing Due to the nature of the stalks, the latter break easily, and, if bent, do not quickly recover their former upright position. It is therefore necessary, and it is an object of my invention to provide means for positively feeding to the cutting means the corn with heads equalized.

In addition to the broader features of my invention other objects thereof are to provide details of structure, whereby stalks which are down and heads which are hang ing may be lifted su'liciently to enable them te be successfully out, and whereby plants which are bent will not pass below the cutter.

I accomplish these objects by means of the embodiment of my invention illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is a vertical section through the feeder, divider comb, knife bar, and cross conveyer, parts not shown being the usual reaper construction; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. l; and Fig. 3 is a fragmentary section similar to Fig. l showing high stalks being bent and fed to the knife.

Referring more particularly to the dra-wing, 4C indicates a horizontally disposed knife bar of the oscillating type. Extending forwardly` thereof is a divider comb, 5 consisting of long extensionteeth for lifting stalks which are down as well as heads `which hang and for preventing the heads of the plants which are bent from passing below the cutting mea-ns. It `also prevents heads from passing below the level of the knife. A cross conveyer is indicated by 6i. In advance of the knife bar and disposed above the comb is an equalizing feeder indicated generally by 7.

The equalizing feeder is a draper comprising two rolls or wheels S and S) over which is passed an endless belt 10, which is driven thereby. The draper travels at an inclination to the horizontal. The rolls may be driven by any Suitable means, such as is used for driving the reels of harvesting machines. Extending from the endless belt are iinpellers l1. The impellers terminate in lingers l2 disposed to sweep between the divider comb and toward the knife bar, clearing the latter.

In cutting stalks whose heads are of the average height, the impeller blades engage the stalks 13 as shown in Fig. l, and advance them between the divider or supporting comb teeth to the cutter bar, where the heads are severed. The heads are then delivered by the fingers to the cross conveyer as indicated by 14.

In the case of stalks which are high, the latter, as shown in Fig. l, are engaged by the iinpellers and bent downwardly as in dicated by 15 and 16 in Fig. 3. In this equalized position, they are swept toward the cutter bar, and the heads severed as indicated by 17 and delivered to the cross conveyer. It is obvious that the heads can pass no higher' than the draper at its lowest point and no lower than the comb. The comb is an important element, as the heads are heavy and the stalks comparatively weak, se that if it were not for the comb supporting the heads after! bending the stalks, many of the plants would sink below the cutting means.

I claim l. In a header, the combination of a horizontally disposed cutting machine" having a supporting comb for plants, an eqnalizing draper disposed in advance of said cutting means with its longitudinal axis inclining downwardly from the front to the rear, and blades on said diaper disposed so as to *sweep plants y being reaped Ydownwardly and toward said cutting means with the heads upon said comb;k

2. In a header, the combination of a .hori

' 5 zontally disposed cutting machine, a supportl axis .inelining downwardly from the front to 10 therear, -andfblades extending from said draperjV soas 4to sweep plants being reaped 'downwardly!.b etvveeny the teeth of said comb `and toward said cutting means.

3. In a header, 4theeomloination of a hori- 15 zontally disposed cutting machine, a divider comb extending forwardly thereof, an equalizing draper 1n advance of said cutting means with its longitudinal axis inelining downwardly from front to rear, and blades extending from said draper so as to sweep plants. being reaped downwardly between the teeth of said comb and toward said eutting means said blade terminating in fingers disposed to enter between the teeth of said comb.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 23rd day of September, 1919.

WILLlAM FRANCIS HAMILTON. 

